Electric starting switch



1951 J. AINSWORTH Y 2,564,387

ELECTRIC STARTING SWITCH Filed Sept. 2, 1948 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY Na 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1948 1 INVENTOR.

BY Mm {Ky Patented Aug. 14, 1951 ELECTRIC STARTING SWITCH James Ainsworth, Rossendale, England Application September 2, 1948, Serial No. 47,502 "In Great Britain September 12, 1947 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric starting mechanism for looms for weaving and for other purposes.

It has been proposed in looms driven individually by electric motors to employ a starting handle for closing an electric switch to start the motor but difiiculty has been experienced in obtaining contacts suiiiciently robust to withstand the constant starting and stopping due to shuttle replenishment and furthermore means have not been provided for preventing restarting of the loom after a failure in the main supply if the starting handle is left in the operative position.

The object of the present invention is to provide a compact and robust unit for connection to the starting handle with means for preventing restarting of the loom after failure of the mains supply if the starting handle is in the operative position.

According to the invention the unit comprises an electric switch operated by the starting handle in combination with a contactor controlled by a relay coupled to the starting handle switch to prevent energisation of the relay with the switch in the operative position.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the unit applied to a loom starting handle;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan of same partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the unit with the door removed;

Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the unit of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a coil with cooperating members shown in Fig. 4.

A unit A is bolted to the loom frame B and connected to the starting handle by a pair of links cc adapted to operate spindle I carrying a switch D to close or open the motor circuit on operation of the starting handle C.

The motor may be three phase A. C. and the switch D is formed with four poles 2, 3, 4 and 5, three poles 2, 3, 4 adapted to close the supply L L L to the motor and the fourth adapted to be open when the other three are closed and vice versa.

The unit A also contains a three pole isolating switch 3 operated by a lever E and fuses 1 connected to the supply mains and a four pole contactor E operated by a coil Ill. Three of the poles of contactor E close the main circuit and the fourth 9 closes a retaining circuit for coil I0 after the operation of a push button G. Overload relays ll may also be provided.

However, as shown in the drawing, the coil I0 is mounted in an inclined position with its armature l0! formed with an inclined face to engage an inclined portion on an arm I02 mounted on the contactor spindle E when the circuit through the coil 1 0 is closed. The circuit through the coil is is tripped by operation of the push button G which takes the form of a rod engaging the tail end of the pole 9 that is loosely mounted on the spindle E and on opening of the circuit through coil B, the arm Hi2 falls away from the armature it! by gravity and opens the contactor E which can only be reclosed on the re-energization of the coil I 0 by closing the push button switch G when the starting handle switch D is open. The deenergisation of the coil it] releases the contactor switch E and opens the motor circuit. The fourth pole 9 of the contactor E is wired in series with coil i0 and this coil is also wired in series with the fourth pole 5 of the starting handle switch D through the push button G, whereby if the supply fails and the contactor opens the coil I Q is prevented from being deenergised as the starting handle switch D remains in the operative position with the fourth pole 5 open. On the resumption of the current supply the contactor relay ll cannot be re-energised until the starting handle switch D has been moved to the off position to complete the relay circuit through the pole 5. The motor may be stopped by a push button switch G The unit is mounted on the loom frame B by a bracket formed in two parts one part 12 being bolted to lugs a on the unit and to the second part l3 which is bolted to the loom frame B. In order to allow for adjustment of the unit to line up the links 00 with the starting handle C the bracket 43 is provided with slots [4 through which the connecting bolts [5 pass.

The unit A may be applied to right or left hand looms by reversing the part l3 of the bracket relatively to the part [2 and by inserting the links 00 on the opposite end of the spindle I.

. The front of the unit A is closed by a door a From the foregoing, it is evident that on operation of the starting handle C by the operative, the loom is started or stopped without actuation of the contactor E but should a failure in the current supply take place, the contactor will automatically open and cannot be closed again until the starting handle C has been moved to the off position.

I claim:

L'An electric starting mechanism unit comprising a multi-pole electric switch, a spindle passing through the unit and switch on which the poles are mounted one special pole on the switch being open when the others are closed and closed when the others are open, a multipole contactor, and a relay in series with one pole of the contactor and with said special pole of said switch and controlling said multi-pole contactor, said special pole interrupting the circuit of said relay preventing closing of said contactor by said relay when said switch is in closed position.

2. An electric starting mechanism unit comprising a multi-pole electric switch, a spindle passing through the unit and switch on which the poles are mounted one pole on the switch being open when the others are closed and closed when the others are open, a link mounted on the spindle, a second link pivoted to the first link, a pivoted loom starting handle to which the second link is pivoted, a relay controlled multi-pole contactor, a relay in series with one pole of the contactor'and with the open pole of switch to prevent energisation of the relay when the starting handle is in the running position before the contactor is closed.

3. An electric starting mechanism unit comprising a composite bracket by which the unit is mounted on the loom, a multi-pole electric switch, a spindle passing through the unit and switch on which the poles are mounted one pole on the switch being open when the others are closed and closed when the others are open, a link mounted on the spindle, a second link pivoted to the first link, a pivoted loom starting handle to which the second link is pivoted, a relay controlled multi-pole contactor, a relay in series with one pole of the contactor and with the open pole of switch to prevent energisation f the relay when the starting handle is in the running position before the contactor is closed.

4. An electric starting mechanism for a threephase electric motor and adapted to be connected to an electric current source, said starting mechanism including the combination, with a support, of four stationary switch contacts on said support of which three contacts are adapted to be connected to the motor; a first bank of four corresponding movable switch contacts effectively mounted for engaging the stationary switch contacts in closed position; manually operated means for operating the movable switch contacts; an operating electro-magnetic device having two terminals with one terminal connected to the fourth stationary contact; a circuit closer having one pole connected to the fourth movable switch contact; a second bank of three additional movable contacts adapted to be connected to the current source; further manually operated means for operating the three additional movable contacts; three corresponding additional stationary contacts on said support; three relays on the latter having one pole each individually connected to said three corresponding additional stationary contacts; a conductor interconnecting one of the latter stationary contacts and the other terminal of the electro-magnetic device; a second pole upon the circuit closerconnected to another ofsaid three additional stationary contacts; a third bank of four further movable contacts of which three are capable of being closed and thereby connected to the mentioned three movable switch contacts of the first bank and the fourth to the second terminal of said electro-magnetic device, the three of the four further movable contacts being connected to the other pole of each of said relays, and the fourth of said four further movable contacts having a conductor connecting it to the second pole upon said circuit closer; further circuit closer in the latter conductor for controlling flow of current therethrough; and magnetically movable means controlled and operated by said electro-magnetic device and mechanically connected to said third bank of four further movable contacts for simultaneously operating the latter upon said electro-magnetic device being energized.

5. An electric starting mechanism for a threephase electric motor and adapted to be connected to an electric current source, said starting mechanism including the combination, with a support, of four stationary switch contacts on said support of which three contacts are adapted to be connected to the motor; a first bank of four corresponding movable switch contacts effectively mounted for engaging the stationary switch contacts in, closed position; manually operated means mechanically connected to the four movable switch contacts for simultaneously operating the latter; an operating electro-magnetic device having two terminals with one terminal connected to the fourth stationary contact; a circuit closer having one pole connected to the fourth movable switch contact; a second bank of three additional movable contacts adapted to be connected to the current source; a second manually operated means mechanically connected to the three additional movable contacts for simultaneously operating the latter contacts; three corresponding additional stationary contacts on said support; three relays on the latter having one pole each individually connected to said three corresponding additional stationary contacts; a conductor interconnecting one of the latter stationary contacts and the other terminal of the electro-magnetic device; a second pole upon the circuit closer connected to another of said three additional stationary contacts; a third bank of four further movable contacts of which three are capable of being closed and thereby connected to the mentioned three movable switch kcontacts of the first bank and the fourth to the second terminal of said electro-magnetic device, the three of the four further movable contacts being connected to the other pole of each of said ,relays, and the fourth of said four further movable contacts having a conductor connecting it to the second pole upon said circuit closer; further circuit closer in the latter conductor for ,controlling flow of current therethrough; and magnetically movable means controlled and operated by said electro-magnetic device and mechanically connected to said third bank of four further movable contacts for simultaneously operating the latter upon said electro-magnetic device being energized.

JAMES AINSWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bartholy Jan. 25, 1944 

